Oktibbeha Heritage Museum to hold Scanning Day

From left, seated, Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum Board President Betsy Longest and Randall McMillen of the Mississippi State Libraries review the scanning process that will digitally preserve documents and photographs with Jerry Drott, standing at left, and Bill Poe, of the museum’s board of directors. Photo by: Courtesy photo

Special to The Dispatch

September 15, 2012 10:14:40 PM

In an effort to help citizens preserve historically significant documents and photos, the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum is partnering with Mississippi State University to hold a Scanning Day Thursday, Sept. 20, at the museum

"If you have any photos or other print materials from Starkville and Oktibbeha County that may be of interest to others, the museum wants you to share them with the world, but you get to keep them, too," said Betsy Longest, chairman of the museum's board. "The museum is partnering with Mississippi State University Libraries Digital Preservation and Access Unit to provide a free scanning service from 3-7 p.m."

"Family photos, as well as photos of local businesses or sporting events, are all welcome," said Randall McMillen, digital project coordinator for the MSU Libraries. He said postcards, clippings and advertisements are also appreciated, as well as any other materials of historical significance. Any two-dimensional item that is 11-by-17-inches or smaller is an eligible candidate, though arrangements can be made for larger items.

Participating citizens will be presented with a disc containing the images, which can be shared with friends and family by emailing, posting to photo-sharing sites, or printing for gifts or placed in a secure place for easy storage. With permission, the museum and library will keep a digital copy for display in their digital collections.

Volunteers from the museum will be available to assist in the process and record information about the items. The materials will be scanned at high-resolution and saved in standard digital archival format (TIFF).

The museum requests that all materials be of some historical significance to Oktibbeha County or the City of Starkville, and that each participant bring no more than 25 items. Special arrangements can be made for larger collections. The materials do not necessarily need to be especially old. Photos or documents related to buildings and places that no longer exist are of particular interest.

To find out more about the scanning day, contact Longest at the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum, 662-322-0211, or McMillen in the MSU Libraries Digital Preservation and Access Unit, 662-325-8398.